Time hurried forward, and forty-eight days had passed.

During this time, although the Ghost King's army had been attacking the allied forces of the Wu, Zheng, and Wang families situated at Falling Shade Mountain in the Dayang Mountains, overall, the Netherworld had remained relatively calm. The strong allied forces of Zhao Zhou and Qian Li stood by without action, observing the situation.

King Wumeng and King Shuanglin led forty thousand warriors of the Crow Tribe to the Black Forest located between Sunset Pass, the Huiyin Mountains, and the Dayang Mountains, to prevent the Zhao Zhou allied forces from entering the Dayang Mountains and forming an inside-outside strategy with the allied forces of Wu, Zheng, and Wang, potentially encircling the Ghost King's forty-thousand-strong army.

Besides, if the Zhao Zhou forces suddenly moved south to attack Sunset Pass, the royal army in the Dayang Mountains would be able to rush over in time to support the Crow Tribe warriors defending the Sunset Pass.

After more than a month of fierce battles, the trapped allied forces of Wu, Zheng, and Wang on Falling Shade Mountain were running out of arrows and food.

At this point, Zhao Chong and Qian Feng both sent envoys stealthily up to the Huiyin Mountains, attempting to persuade the Wu, Zheng, and Wang families to defect before they were eliminated by the royal army.

Apart from the battle situation in the Dayang Mountains, there was another matter that was of great concern to many, namely the whereabouts and welfare of Chen Hao. Since there had been no news of Chen Hao from the Huiyin Mountains during this time, and the spies who had infiltrated the mountains had not seen him, most people believed that Chen Hao had perished together with King Wanfa two months earlier.

As for the background and deeds of Chen Hao, there were various stories within the Netherworld, and it was difficult to distinguish the true from the false.

Some said he was a fierce general under Zhao Chong in the past, sent to the mortal world eighteen years ago to be reincarnated as a human, with the purpose of eliminating the eight Dharma Kings who governed the mortal world's Netherworld. Others said he was the descendant of a family of Onmyoji from the mortal world, a once-in-a-millennium genius, who sought revenge against the Dharma Kings for his grandfather's death at their hands.

In conclusion, having slain King Wanfa, Chen Hao had become a well-known figure in the Netherworld, and in the eyes of many, an iconic hero and legend. His feats of eliminating four Dharma Kings would be passed down through the ages, just like the four Nether Kings who sacrificed their Yin Souls to seal the Gate of the Nether King.

...

...

The mortal world.

Y City.

Ever since Chen Hao and Ye Yuqiao parted ways and left for the Netherworld, Tang Jing and Xie Xiaofeng would visit Chen Hao's home every three days to see if the two would suddenly return.

Fifty days had gone by, and there was still no word from Chen Hao and Ye Yuqiao.

Xie Xiaofeng had thought about finding an Onmyoji familiar with the art of spirit communication and capable of descending to the Netherworld to search for people, to inquire about Chen Hao and Ye Yuqiao. However, he was told that the gates to the Netherworld were no longer guarded by Niu Tou and Ma Mian; aside from the Yin Souls of the deceased, no one else was allowed entry to the Netherworld or they would be captured and their Yin Souls would be beheaded.

Now, Xie Xiaofeng and Tang Jing had both returned to work at the Yin Yang Master Association in Y City, becoming full-time, registered Onmyoji.

Living a monotonous nine-to-five life, they often reminisced about the past year's madness, the Exorcism Special Vehicle, and their beloved companions, Chen Hao and Ye Yuqiao.

"Let's open the door," Xie Xiaofeng said to Tang Jing.

Tang Jing shook her head, her expression somewhat sorrowful, "I'm afraid that if we open the door, we'll end up disappointed again."

Xie Xiaofeng gave a bitter smile.

After a long silence and emotional build-up, Tang Jing finally pushed open the door to Chen Hao's home. Just like the past dozen times, there was no sign of Chen Hao and Ye Yuqiao, only the same disappointing emptiness.

"Let's come back in three days," Xie Xiaofeng said, his voice very low and full of disappointment.

Tang Jing shook her head and then sat down on the sofa in the living room of Chen Hao's house. After surveying the place for a few rounds, she said, "We haven't cleaned this jerk's house for a week now. Let's do it next time we come."

As she spoke, Tang Jing's eyes reddened, and tears involuntarily began to fall again.

Xie Xiaofeng frowned deeply, crouched in front of Tang Jing, and tightly grasped her hands, saying, "Don't cry, maybe next time we come we'll see them."

"You say that every time, but it never comes true." Tang Jing grew sadder as she spoke, and more tears streamed down her face, "Xiao Feng, to be honest, I'm really scared. It's been nearly fifty days, and there's been no news of them. If they were alive, how could they bear to not contact us for fifty days?"

Confronted with Tang Jing's question, Xie Xiaofeng was stunned. He knew deep down that Tang Jing was right—if Chen Hao and Ye Yuqiao were still around, they would have definitely contacted them by now. He had always avoided thinking like this; he just didn't want to accept this fact in his heart.

"Maybe, it's time we gave up," Xie Xiaofeng said after a long moment of shock.

"No! Don't!" Tang Jing, however, sobbed and shook her head, throwing herself into Xie Xiaofeng's arms.

...

...

The night was deep.

In the Netherworld, before the Huiyin Mountains.

Compared to fifty days ago, the trees on the Huiyin Mountains had grown many times taller, even by dozens of times, and the rivers running through the mountains had swelled with the lush growth of the trees, while the birds, beasts, and rare animals that roamed the mountains had become increasingly numerous.

Because of this, the tranquility of the Huiyin Mountains was no longer just a monotone silence, but had become distant and layered with the occasional cries of birds and beasts.

Inside the tent.

It had been only a short while since Zhao Chong had left, Ye Yuqiao sat at the edge of the bed, knitting her brows and examining Chen Hao.

The man in black in Chen Hao's mind had once said that Chen Hao would wake up at the earliest in thirty days. So in these past ten days or so, she always awoke with excitement, only to fall asleep disheartened and sad watching over Chen Hao.

As the characters on the Resurrection Talisman Seal on Chen Hao's body became more blurred with each passing day, her heart grew anxious, fearing that Chen Hao would never wake up.

On Chen Hao's heart, the fragment of his soul was still slowly absorbing Yin Qi, bit by bit restoring Chen Hao's Yin Soul.

"Chen Hao, when will you wake up?" Ye Yuqiao said, her voice sounding like a sob.

Suddenly, at that moment, a purple light flashed across Chen Hao's left eye.

Ye Yuqiao was startled, froze for a moment, then her face broke into a hint of joy. With an excited heart, she incessantly called out Chen Hao's name.

However, even after her voice became hoarse from shouting, and her heart gradually lost hope, Chen Hao still didn't respond, nor were there any signs of him waking.

So, just like the past ten days, she fell into a drowsy sleep beside Chen Hao's bed.

The night was cool as water, and time flowed away like the river outside the tent heading eastward.

A purple light flashed again across Chen Hao's left eye.

Subsequently, the Talisman Seal for the Blood Sacrified Resurrection had completely vanished from his body, or more accurately, had sunk into the blood within his body.

Ye Yuqiao, who was by his side, was already fast asleep and missed this moment.

From the day Chen Hao fell unconscious, it had been the forty-ninth day.

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